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5 ways to reach out to recruiters that feel refreshing
Here are a few nongimmicky approaches to piquing a hiring manager’s attention.
BY JOSEPH LIU
https://www.fastcompany.com/90603509/5-ways-to-reach-out-to-recruiters-that-feel-refreshing
With the ongoing global pandemic creating a more challenging, competitive job market, the onus rests on candidates to proactively find ways to stand out to hiring managers in what is an employers’ marketplace. During ordinary times, getting the attention of a manager is hard enough, but now, differentiating yourself from the competition is even more difficult with a lack of in-person interactions. Here are five unique ways you can reach out to others that go beyond simply sending a cover letter and résumé without coming across as gimmicky or unprofessional.
SEND A VIDEO MESSAGE
Meeting face to face often enables you to create a stronger connection with someone. But when that’s not an option, consider sending a personalized prerecorded video message instead. Video platforms such as Loom, Vidyard, or Bonjoro allow you to easily create a simple video introduction that allows others to quickly put a face to your name.
For example, you could create a short video explaining why you’re interested in a specific company and why you would you be a great fit, says Biron Clark, founder of Career Sidekick. “A candidate used this tactic to approach me last year. While they didn’t end up having the right technical skill set, the video caught my attention immediately and prompted me to set up a phone interview less than 48 hours later.”
ATTEND AN ONLINE EVENT
In lieu of in-person recruitment events, companies are having to get more creative with customer, community, and candidate engagement. This includes hosting online events, company-sponsored webinars, panel discussions, social media, and community forums.
Connecting with recruiters through online community forums or company-sponsored webinars can be a great way for candidates to authentically introduce themselves and open the door to career opportunities, according to Niall O’Rourke, VP of talent acquisition at Intuit. “Whether forging one-on-one connections or participating in community discussions, candidates can showcase their value in a more casual setting, participate in surveys and join events that speak to their interests and professional background, providing context beyond what can be expressed in a résumé.”
O’Rourke goes on to say Intuit keeps in touch with participants who join their company-sponsored webinars, inviting them to join Intuit’s online talent communities. Today, approximately 30% of software engineer hires at Intuit are existing members of their talent communities.
OFFERING A FAVOR OR CONNECTION
In your initial outreach to a company, instead of simply asking whether a recruiter or hiring manager is aware of a job opening, take the initiative to make a useful contribution to your target organization. “When you help someone solve a problem, they’ll remember you positively for your effort and be more willing to help you out in the future,” says Jon Hill, CEO and chairman of the Energists, an executive search firm. Providing value could include offering to introduce someone to a relevant contact, referring a new customer, mentioning a useful event, relaying an opportunity, or even just sharing a useful article.
Contributing value conveys you’re proactive, which is a trait hiring managers appreciate, says Ro Kalonaros who sits on the global content and culture team at Omnicom. “I got a simple email from a job seeker who heard me speak at a virtual event recently and had come across an interesting article built on a topic I’d spoken about. That article was exactly what I needed for a presentation I was building. No gimmicks, just genuine [consideration] and real connection.”
SHARING YOUR OWN CONTENT
Creating your own content online can demonstrate a track record of interest and passion about topics that could be relevant to an eventual target company and hirer. Maintaining a blog, self-publishing on LinkedIn, or creating valuable content on other social media platforms can be a way of reinforcing your personal brand with a prospective employer.
Michael Lowe, CEO of review website Car Passionate, explains that while résumés and cover letters can demonstrate a candidate’s professional background and understanding of their company, ascertaining what an individual knows about cars is difficult from these materials alone. “We’ve received YouTube channel videos from online creators who work daily on their cars and have vast amounts of knowledge. We also receive résumés from bloggers who run their own car blogs which shows they already understand the work we are doing here.” Lowe states sharing relevant content helps candidates stand out while also enabling Car Passionate to single out the best candidates during the recruitment process.
SENDING A TANGIBLE GIFT OR RESOURCE
Although sending objects (such as flowers) to a hiring manager to get their attention could seem forced, awkward, or even inappropriate, mailing a thoughtful object that’s relevant to your target company or the role can really grab someone’s attention. Jeff Neal, an operations manager, received over 100 résumés for a marketing position opening at their company. One candidate did some online research, discovered Neal liked fly fishing, and used this as a way to demonstrate his market research skills. “This candidate actually mailed his résumé with a packet of fly-fishing lures. I was very impressed and invited him in for an interview.”
Creativity can also go a long way in reinforcing your key skills in a way that’s hard to do with a résumé alone. Peter Gray, president of a real estate group, spent a previous decade in human resources. He says nearly any job application tactic, including employee referrals or even direct applications, fared better than online applications.
He shared an example of a candidate applying for a brand-building marketing role. “The applicant made a brand of water using his name. The ingredients were all of his positive attributes: hard work, creative, good team player, etc. I looked at his application for hours, compared to two seconds before deleting an online application.”
All these tactics take more effort than just firing off a quick email or résumé—and that’s sort of the point of customizing and focusing your approach. Your approach to the job hunt says a lot about your personal brand as a candidate. If you’re willing to go the extra mile, it demonstrates initiative and thoughtfulness.
Whether you choose to try out one of these tactics or simply stick with more traditional outreach, customizing your message based on your research on the company and role is critical to standing out. Remember that real effort is clear and still quite successful. So, don’t be afraid to approach someone in a unique way that may surprise and delight them; it might just be the thing that helps you get your foot in the door.
How to answer “Tell me about yourself?”
Prepare For A Management Interview (Tips, Questions and Answers)
https://youtu.be/kayOhGRcNt4
As you move through the interview process for a Management position, remember that the companies are evaluating your overall fitness for a management position within their organization. A Management interview will focus primarily on your leadership skills and experience, but an interviewer will also ask questions about your background, qualifications and communication skills. You will also be asked to describe how you have dealt with conflict in the past.
How to Prepare
The key to a successful management interview is to focus on examples in your past that will support your answers. Specific examples (with names and places to add detail) add depth and meaning to your answers. Giving an answer based on philosophy alone will not suffice in a management interview. Keep these points in mind when preparing for a Management interview.
Focus on Leadership.
You are interviewing for a management position, so you must emphasize your leadership skills and provide examples to demonstrate that you are a strong leader. Focus on jobs where you held the most responsibility.
Understand the Company’s Needs
Every company is looking for something different. Research the company, talk to the Orion Account Executive and your Orion Candidate Recruiter, and analyze the job summary to identify the three key attributes the company needs from a candidate in this position.
Tailor Your Strengths.
Tailor your strengths to the needs you have identified. As a successful military leader, you possess many strengths; throughout the interview however, emphasize those that align with the needs of the company.
Provide Many Examples.
You must support your answers with specific examples. These examples will add depth to your answers and make an impact on the interviewer.
Energy and Enthusiasm.
Show the interviewer that you want the job. Would you hire someone who seemed disinterested? An interviewer won’t either. You must convince an interviewer that you are excited about the company and the job in order to land the position.
Ask Appropriate, Well Prepared Questions.
Questions equal interest to an interviewer. Ask well thought out questions about the corporate culture, training, employees, and goals, which demonstrate a genuine interest in the company. Good questions will help build rapport with the interviewer.
Close the Interview.
Don’t overlook the close. Make sure the interviewer knows you want the job by closing the interview. For specifics on closing an interview, read Interview Play-by-Play.
Management Interview Questions
The list of questions below is by no means comprehensive, but is a good starting point as you prepare for a management interview. Practice these questions until you are comfortable verbalizing them. When preparing for a management interview, remember these three things:
1) avoid clichéd answers,
2) give solid examples, and
3) focus on your leadership skills.
Your ability to personalize your answers and give specific examples in support of those answers will differentiate you from other candidates competing for the same position.
Tell me about yourself.
Keep your answer to 2-3 minutes and focus on the highlights of your career. Ensure your transitions are effective, and use this as an opportunity to tell your story. Be confident and make an impact.
Why are you leaving the military?
Be positive. A response to this question may sound like “I’ve achieved my goal of gaining some immediate leadership experience and now I am looking for a new challenge” or “I like the idea of taking my leadership experience to the corporate world in order to improve my quality of life.”
What are your strengths?
Tailor your answer to the job for which you are interviewing.
What are your weaknesses?
Keep this answer to one weakness and make sure it is a trait that is not critical to the job you are interviewing for. Your answer should be genuine, something that you have previously identified, and are actively working to overcome.
Tell me about a time you have failed.
Everybody has failed. Do not say “I’ve never failed.” Focus on a specific event and demonstrate how you have learned from that mistake, resulting in professional growth. Use specific names and places.
What is your biggest professional achievement?
An ideal answer should be a professional achievement that is significant, makes an impact, and somehow relates to the job you are interviewing for (i.e. shows significant leadership under stressful conditions like combat).
Which job did you like best in the military and why?
Tailor your answer. If you are interviewing for a management position, focus on the job where you held the most responsibility and was the most leadership intensive. If you are interviewing for a technical job, focus on the position that was the most technical. An interviewer wants to know that the job you liked best is similar to the position you are interviewing for.
What is your leadership style?
You must overcome the military stigma. Show them you are a strong leader, but have a flexible leadership style and great communication skills. Companies want a mature decision maker who is able to motivate a team of diverse individuals.
Give me an example of a time you’ve dealt with conflict.
Be specific. Focus on an actual event where you dealt with conflict in the workplace. A good example will show your ability to mediate a hostile situation and maintain a positive work environment. Your ability to provide a good example will show the interviewer how you will react at their company, so make sure are you sending the right message.
What are your long and short term goals?
Companies hire military officers because they are goal driven individuals. First define ‘short’ and ‘long’ term, and then state your goals. They should be professional and related to the company as much as possible.
Additional Questions That You Should Be Comfortable Answering
- What date are you ready to start your new career?
- What are your location preferences?
- If you had to give me a 5K range, what would your annual salary expectations be?
- Have you interviewed with any companies in the past 6 months? If so, which ones and for what locations?
- Do you currently have any offers to work for any companies? If so, which companies and for what salary?
- Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
- Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
- Name three of your strengths.
- Name three of your weaknesses.
- How do you deal with stress?
- Are you open to shift work?
- Are you open to working overtime?
- How many days in a month are you willing to travel?
- What is a long day to you?
- How many hours a week are you open to working?
- Describe a time that you had to sell something to someone else.
- Tell me about a project you led from start to finish.
- Have you ever had a mentor? If so, what did he or she do for you?
- What was the last book that you read, and why did you choose it?
- How would you characterize your leadership style?
- Describe a time when you had to deal with a poor performer.
- How do you deal with conflict?
- How do you motivate people?
- When was the last time, place, and situation that you had an idea you tried to sell, but were met with resistance? Did you ultimately prevail?
- Why should I hire you?
- What do you know about our company?
- What makes you qualified for this position?